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Tuesday, 17 June 2014

DANES SUPPORT JAILED SWAZI ACTIVISTS

Danish party supports Mario
and Maxwell

Kenworthy News Media, 17 June, 2014

Danish democratic socialist party, the Red-Green Alliance, on Monday (16
June 2014) sent a statement of support for two imprisoned democracy advocates
to Swaziland’s government, writes Kenworthy
News Media.

President of the pro-democracy party, the People’s United Democratic
Movement (PUDEMO), Mario Masuku, and youth leader Maxwell were arrested on May
Day, and subsequently charged with sedition – Masuku for expressing support for
his own organization in a speech, Dlamini for allegedly shouting “viva PUDEMO”.
They have been in prison since then, as they were denied bail.

Mario Masuku and Maxwell Dlamini were remanded in custody until
September 24, 2014 during yesterday’s court session, as their lawyer Leo Gama
applied for a postponement of the case to enable the pair’s legal team to
challenge the Suppression of Terrorism Act No.3 of 2008 that they are charged
under.

Swaziland is in effect an absolute monarchy, although the country holds
general elections. These elections were heavily criticized by the Commonwealth
Observer Mission, who monitored last years’ election. Amongst other things
because all parties are banned and the king chooses the Prime Minister, the
government, a large proportion of the senators, and in effect wields a large
influence over the election of MP’s through a chief-controlled system, as well
as the legal system.

Over two thirds of the Swazi population survives on under a dollar a
day, many on food aid from the United Nations.

—

Read the full statement below:

Statement of support in the trial of Swazi democracy advocates Mario Masuku
and Maxwell DlaminiThe Red-Green Alliance party, Denmark, 16. June 2014

Mario Masuku, President of the pro-democracy People’s United Democratic
Movement (PUDEMO) in Swaziland, and PUDEMO youth league Secretary General and
student leader, Maxwell Dlamini, were arrested and imprisoned on May Day. They
have since have been charged with sedition, and for contravening the Swazi
Suppression of Terrorism Act, for giving support to a “terrorist entity” –
PUDEMO. They will appear in court today, 16. June.

Mario Masuku had delivered a speech to the Swazi trade union
confederation TUCOSWA where he merely expressed support for his organization,
PUDEMO. Maxwell Dlamini had allegedly sung a song that included the words “the
king must go”, and both had allegedly shouted “viva PUDEMO” together with the
thousands of others who had gathered to show their dissatisfaction with king
Mswati III’s absolute monarchy, that has left two thirds of the population in
absolute poverty whilst a small elite live in luxury. They have both been
refused bail.

The Red-Green Alliance wishes to extend these two comrades our full and
unequivocal support, and want to state clearly that we believe that such
preposterous charges prove that the Swazi regime simply wishes to lock up
anyone who questions its undemocratic rule, however peacefully.

Today, 38 years ago, thousands of students like Maxwell Dlamini, who
were equally tired of being oppressed by an unjust and divisive political
system, revolted in Soweto in apartheid-South Africa. They eventually
prevailed, amongst other means by winning the support of the international
community.

People in Swaziland are simply asking the Danish government, and other
governments and NGO’s, to support Mario Masuku and Maxwell Dlamini in their
struggle for democracy and socio-economic justice.

The arrest of Masuku and Dlamini follows the arrests of, amongst others,
PUDEMO’s Secretary General, Mlungisi Makhanya, who was arrested along with six
other members of the organization for wearing a T-shirt with PUDEMO’s logo at a
trial.

The arrests have been condemned by, amongst others, the South African
trade union federation COSATU, in a press release that described Swaziland as
“one big national prison”.

Mario Masuku and Maxwell Dlamini have been arrested on questionable
charges several times before, and Maxwell Dlamini claims to have been tortured
by the police in 2011. He was receiving treated for post-traumatic stress
disorder.

Signed
The Red-Green Alliance

The Red-Green Alliance is a democratic socialist party which aims to
combine politics for social change with politics for solving the great
environmental problems both on national and international level.

The Red-Green Alliance has, for several years now, been in a project
partnership with PUDEMO that seeks to assist the organization in the
achievement of its ultimate goal – achieving democracy and socio-economic
justice for all Swazis.